According to a statement published by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) on July 1, 2022, the U.S. DoD announced $820 million in additional security assistance for Ukraine including two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), up to 150,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition and four additional counter-artillery radars.
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Finnish military NASAMS II (ITO 12) anti-aircraft missile launcher on Sisu E13TP truck on display at Comprehensive security exhibition 2015 in Tampere. (Picture source Wikimedia)
Unlike Presidential Drawdown, USAI (Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative) is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from U.S. DoD stocks. This announcement represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine's Armed Forces.
The United States has now committed approximately $7.6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including approximately $6.9 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked invasion on February 24. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $8.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.
The United States continues to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its evolving battlefield requirements. In particular, DoD recognizes Norway’s cooperation to enable the historic provision by the United States of modern air defense systems that will help Ukraine defend against Russia’s invasion.
On June 27, 2022, the Army Recognition editorial team reported that during the G7 meeting, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that the United States would send to Ukraine NASAMS, medium to long-range air defense missile systems.
NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) is a medium to long-range air defense missile system designed and manufactured by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace teamed up with Raytheon from the United States for the missile. Since the introduction in Norway in 2015, another four countries in NATO and the EU have acquired NASAMS.
A standard NASAMS unit has a modular design including a command post called FDC Fire Distribution Center, an active 3D radar AN/MPQ64F1 Sentinel, a passive electro-optic and infra-red sensor, and a number of missile canister launchers with AMRAAM missiles. Usually, four NASAMS units are connected in a battalion network.
